Abstract
This was a systematic research, where the sample consisted of 13 articles about mediastinitis the postoperative cardiac surgery in order to avaluate the incidence of mediastinitis, the predominant gender, average age, the number deaths, the predominant risk factor and the type of surgery performed. In the
present study, it was found that the average incidence of mediastinitis was 2.98%, the predominant sex was male, the average age of the patients was ± 60 years, the number of deaths was between 26.6% and 42.8%, the most important ones risk factors were: hypertension, necessity for surgical intervention, and use of intraaortic balloon and the type of surgery more associated with infection was myocardial revascularization. We conclude that mediastinitis is a serious infection which needs the preventive measures that culminate in reducing the incidence and mortality.